Serbia and the ACS Reaffirm commitment to collaborate
His Excellency Rodolfo Sabonge, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), held significant meetings with two key Serbian officials today in Belgrade: Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dačić; and President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabić. He was accompanied on this official visit by ACS Chief Executive Coordinator, Tricia Barrow.
Discussions focused on concretising Serbia's partnership with the ACS, following its attainment of Observer status in 2012 and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2018, aimed at enhancing cooperation amongst the parties.
Minister Dačić, emphasised the strategic importance for his country of engagement with the countries of the Greater Caribbean with whom Serbia shares similar values. The Minister articulated his nation’s vision for closer ties with the Caribbean, recognising the potential for shared growth.
“You can count on us!”
The Secretary General and President of the National Assembly discussed the importance of multilateralism and peace in the shared quest for growth and stability, as well as possibilities for collaborating to address global challenges, including climate change.
Identifying digital transformation, cultural exchange and communication as key to enhanced relations between peoples and states, they undertook to find ways of leveraging these cooperation modalitilies within the context of the ACS-Serbia MoU, in order to strengthen ties
“You can count on us,” said Ms Brnabic , expressing Serbia’s commitment to working with the ACS to enhance the Greater Caribbean’s sustainable development objectives.
A walk through time
Additionally, Secretary General Sabonge enjoyed a tour of the Museum of Serbian Diplomacy, which serves not only as a repository of diplomatic history but also as an educational resource, offering insights into the complexities of international relations, the art of diplomacy, and the role played by Serbia on the global stage.
This was followed by a tour of the Tesla Museum, a celebration of the priceless contribution and philanthropic spirit of a son of the soil and Ambassador of innovation of Serbia, whose work in electricity and hundreds of scientific patents have changed the course of human civilisation.
These meetings marked a significant step towards Serbia's expressed interest in solidifying the relationship between Serbia and the ACS, highlighting its readiness to foster deeper connections with the Caribbean region.
The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.